By contrast to this, secondman Stokes arrived at Hither Green, signed on duty in person at around 15:12 and was instructed by the Supervisor to travel on the 15:32 train and try to meet Wilsdon on the train. The crash happened at around 3.30pm today (May 23). Computations later proved that the driver had apparently shut off power where required, but had not made a brake application. Well Hall Road had accommodated a tramway route until July 1952, when all such services within London were withdrawn. The crew left the cab for a few minutes and as a result the train departed from Margate eight minutes late. The first occurred on 7 November 1961, when Wilsdon had been charged 150 for being Drunk and disorderly, causing damage to a shop window and assaulting a Police constable whilst off-duty. Guard Atterbury, who arrived at Ramsgate some hours earlier and had been relaxing in the staff break room of the station, had gone to prepare the train for its departure at around 19:30 and initially noted that the engine crew were absent. -- More Tools -- The driver Robert Wilsdon and five passengers were killed, and 126 people were injured. Owing to the large number of day-trippers booked for this customary annual works-outing, a pair of excursion trains were laid on to transport them to Margate and back. The eighth coach was upright but derailed, the ninth coach was derailed at its leading bogie but also upright, and the tenth coach (in which Atterbury had been riding) was upright and on the rails, though some internal damage had occurred. The actor Phil Daniels, star of Quadrophenia, Scum, and later EastEnders was aboard one of the derailed coaches with his parents after a day trip. This took the platforms beyond the bridge which carried the running lines over Well Hall Road, and a new entrance was opened between the latter and the stations down platform, by means of a staircase upon the embankment. Apr 2, 2017 - Eltham Well Hall Rail Crash. There was an imbalance with the urine alcohol level which made it very likely that the driver had also been drinking alcohol at the controls. The last recommendation that Robertson made regarding the accident was the usage of telephone to sign on duty within the Southern Region. Although Atterbury had been somewhat concerned about excessive speed between Gillingham and Chatham, he stated that Wilsdon had operated appropriately through Dartford. 1973 . At no point did Wilsdon even attempt to slow his train beyond having already shut off the engine to coast which was normal at this long downhill sector of the line. The derailed train came to a halt very close to an electrical sub-station powering the third-rail for electric multiple unit trains and this had immediately short-circuited. Again, he was off-duty at the time and the British Rail was not informed of this occurrence until April. Arundell believed that they were a gift left by the organisers of the excursion to the engine crew - such being a normal 'tip' for excursion drivers to enjoy off-duty - and he did not question their appearance. He subsequently gave Wilsdon a stern reprimand and advised him that such behaviour was not acceptable. At 15:22 Wilsdon signed on duty with Hither Green by telephone. The locomotive and first four coaches left the rails and came to rest at an angle to the track, the second and third coaches on their sides. Statistics They prepared the train which consisted of a Class 47 diesel locomotive and 10 coaches. As he did not need to be on duty until the afternoon, Wilsdon joined his two brothers for lunch at around 12:55, the three travelling to a local pub where they stayed until closing time just after 14:00. At no point did Wilsdon even attempt to slow his train beyond having already shut off the engine to coast which was normal at this long downhill sector of the line. An excursion train from Margate to Kentish Town derailed on a sharp curve at Eltham Well Hall station, Eltham, London. Physical description 1 photograph : photoprint ; sheet 15.3 x 20.2 cm Contributors A second trailing crossover between the running lines had been installed 50-yards east of the platforms, and the goods yard acquired a further two sidings and a shed (although, as per that at Bexleyheath, rails did not pass through it). A concrete-lined cutting accommodating a dual-carriageway was envisaged, this of which would run parallel with the Bexleyheath Line for about a mile in the vicinity of Eltham, before passing under the railway at Well Hall. Eccles Rail Crash . All of the coaches were Mark 1 rolling stock with the oldest coach dating back to 1954 and the newest coach dating to 1962.[2]. At the subsequent public inquiry it was revealed that the driver had been intoxicated by alcohol. Single-storey they may have been, but these were substantial main buildings for these intermediate stations, extending for 145-feet in length, with widths of 20-feet and 25-feet at their narrowest and widest points respectively. A combination of the signal checks at Sittingbourne and Rainham and the unscheduled stop at Rainham had caused Wilsdon to lose most of the progress he had made between Margate and Sittingbourne. However, this evidence was contradicted by a later statement made by Secondman Stokes that when they met at Ramsgate, Wilsdon told Stokes that he had "ended up going somewhere and drinking some sherry". derailment. A 24-year-old man was cut free from wreckage crushing his head and abdomen and died from a heart attack on the way to hospital. It came to a stand laying parallel with the locomotive, having jack-knifed and pushed slightly around so the leading cab was facing back towards the line and the rear cab was pointing away from the track. When Arundell went to examine the cab, he found it empty but after returning shortly afterwards, saw a pair of beer bottles in the cab. D1671 was withdrawn some four months later. Well Hall Road, which is one of the key arterial roads between Eltham and Woolwich, is blocked near the junction of Arsenal Road. Please note that the Railways Archive is not responsible for the content of external websites. ASLEF sided with Wilsdon and General Secretary William Evans sided with Wilsdon. Two bottles of beer given to the crew by the excursion's organisers were found in the cab, but they were unopened. A public inquiry carried out into the cause of the accident was launched on 12 June 1972 by Colonel John R.H. Robertson that looked into the cause of the derailment. In that year, the Greater London Council (GLC) published proposals for the Rochester Way Relief Road, today known as the A2. At the subsequent public inquiry it was revealed that Wilsdon had been intoxicated by alcohol. He had been working on the railways since 1958 and was experienced to drive the British Rail Class 47 locomotive, which would occasionally come down from trains in other regions. An excursion train from Margate to Kentish Town derailed on a sharp curve at Eltham Well Hall station, Eltham, London. Please consider donating to help with our running costs. Nevertheless, at Wilsdon's suggestion, they both went to the nearby Railway Staff Association Club at about 19:00 and drank three pints of light and bitter beer each. He briefed the pair on the train's particulars with Wilsdon appearing sober and routine. The curve had a maximum permitted speed to be taken at 20 miles per hour (32km/h) but the train was estimated to have been travelling at 65 miles per hour (105km/h) resulting in the locomotive and all but one of the ten carriages derailing. In contrast, Stokes claimed that Wilsdon mentioned drinking some sherry when they met at Ramsgate. Further modernisation was the order of the day in 1931, when stations at Bexleyheath, Welling, and Eltham (Well Hall) were rebuilt. The guard told the inquiry that after leaving Rainham he had noticed that the train's speed has been "a little bit excessive" and that the driver braked intensely between Gillingham and Chatham. He later claimed to a representative from the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen that he would not drink again. Despite this, Wilsdon suggested the pair go to the nearby Railway Staff Association Club at about 19:00 and get a drink to which Stokes agreed, with the pair arriving just in time for the club to open at 19:05. This issue was however was brought up again in 1991 after the Cannon Street station rail crash in which the driver in that instance was believed to have been high on cannabis and caused a buffer-stop collision. Touch device users, explore by touch . A public inquiry carried out into the cause of the accident was launched on 12 June 1972 by Colonel John R.H. Robertson that looked into the cause of the derailment. The inquiry hypothesized that the driver had taken spirits into the cab with him, having collected them during his unexplained absence before leaving Margate. Of these penalties, three were fairly minor isolated offences (unauthorised absence in October 1960, persistent lateness in February 1961 and a "relatively minor driving offence" in February 1963) but two were serious offences, one of which resulted in a temporary suspension. This item is linked to the Accident at Eltham Well Hall on 11th June 1972. Most Wanted Shortly after leaving Rainham, Atterbury noted that the speed seemed "a little bit excessive" and that Wilsdon had been braking intensely between Gillingham and Chatham railway station. Eltham Well Hall. Six lives were lost including the driver, and 126 people were injured. Railman Akehurst, who had heard the derailment, immediately called Dartford signal box and reported the derailment. An ambulance was seen landing at the scene and police are also in attendance. A third smashed bottle found was later proven to have been a medicine bottle and was unlikely to have carried any alcohol at the time of the accident. Wilsdon was not due to be on duty until the afternoon and had gone to a pub at lunchtime with his brothers who said he spent the afternoon at home. As well as Wilsdon, two passengers died at the scene; a woman later died of her injuries in August and a male likewise in November, bringing the number of fatalities to five. 2004 - 2023 railwaysarchive.co.uk - all rights reserved. His speech was clear and his gait was normal. There was an imbalance with the urine alcohol level which made it very likely that the driver had also been drinking alcohol within an hour of his death, meaning it was possible he had been drinking at the controls. The eighth coach was upright but derailed, the ninth coach was derailed at its leading bogie but also upright, and the tenth coach (in which Atterbury had been riding) was upright and on the rails, though some internal damage had occurred. According to his notes, the train passed through Bexleyheath at 21:31, seven minutes behind schedule (estimates showed that Wilsdon had made up at least a minute and a half between Gillingham and Strood) and was running on clear signals.[2]. Stokes and Guard H. Atterbury. After the crossing was cleared, he set the route for the train to proceed but instead, the train came to a stop at the platform. June 11, 1972. In that year, the Greater London Council (GLC) published proposals for the "Rochester Way Relief Road", today known as the "A2". After the crossing was cleared, he set the route for the train to proceed but instead, the train came to a stop at the platform. The layout was controlled from a signal box positioned beyond the London end of the "down" platform; this was the product of contractor "McKenzie & Holland", which signalled the Bexleyheath Line. June 11, 1972. British Rail staff who came in contact with Wilsdon on 11 June (his supervisor at Hither Green, depot staff at Ramsgate, Secondman Stokes, Railway Club staff at Ramsgate, Guard Atterbury, Stationmaster Arundell and his staff at Margate, Railman Fleming and Signalman Obee at Rainham) were all intensively questioned and gave evidence at the inquiry regarding the state of Wilsdon, to which all agreed that Wilsdon appeared perfectly fit and sober even as late as his unscheduled stop in Rainham, with the only person aware of Wilsdon already having drunk alcohol prior to reaching Ramsgate being Secondman Stokes, who considered him still fit and sober enough to drive the train. None of the staff were criticised for failing to stop Wilsdon from his duties under the belief he was too drunk and evidence by Wilsdon's father-in-law, brothers and friends confirmed that although Wilsdon did drink heavily, he could "carry" his alcohol well and that the amount of alcohol he drank was not enough to make his drunkenness visible, although the report believed that Wilsdon's actions at Rainham and his reactions at Eltham Well Hall clearly showed that he was beginning to suffer effects of drunkenness. The scheme required the demolition of Well Hall station, for it partially resided on the site required for the trunk road, but also gave rise to the closure of Eltham Park station and the provision of a brand new set of platforms in-between the two. Copyright Info, Accident at Eltham Well Hall on 11th June 1972. 0 references. He claimed that he was going to head directly to Ramsgate from Rainham and said that he had to catch an earlier train from Rainham (the 15:32 instead of the 15:42, which was not running on Sundays) and therefore asked Hither Green if he could be considered on-duty from 15:12. ", -- More Tools -- The last recommendation that Robertson made regarding the accident was the usage of telephone to sign on duty within the Southern Region. Please see this explanation for further details. Credits Wilsdon was not due to be on duty until the afternoon and had gone to a pub at lunchtime with his brothers who said he spent the afternoon at home. Both were severely damaged. The Inspecting Officer, Colonel J.R.H. By contrast to this, secondman Stokes arrived at Hither Green, signed on duty in person at around 15:12 and was instructed by the Supervisor to travel on the 15:32 train and try to meet Wilsdon on the train. Its nameplates were salvaged, and transferred to No. Credits He claimed that he was going to head directly to Ramsgate from Rainham and said that he had to catch an earlier train from Rainham (the 15:32 instead of the 15:42, which was not running on Sundays) and therefore asked Hither Green if he could be considered on-duty from 15:12. The Report for the crash was released on 1 June 1973 and it quite clearly showed that the accident was caused entirely by the actions of Robert Wilsdon, in that he had "grossly impaired his ability to drive safely by drinking a considerable quantity of alcohol both before and after booking on duty". The guard told the inquiry that after leaving Rainham he had noticed that the train's speed has been "a little bit excessive" and that the driver braked intensely between Gillingham and Chatham. . In the earliest years, a trailing crossover between the running lines was evident within the limits of the platforms. The "up" platform still had vintage style benches, and it is evident that a window had been bricked up in that wall of the main building nearest the camera. Secondman Stokes, who agreed with Wilsdon to get some extra drinks at Ramsgate was severely criticised for his "disgraceful" behaviour in drinking three pints prior to taking the train back to Margate, but it was agreed that Stokes' young age and weak character meant that he seemed unwilling to stop Wilsdon from going to get some drink. He was not suspended for this incident owing to the fact that his superior at Hither Green was busy and then went on leave and as such was not able to speak with Wilsdon until June. These trains would be driven by Southern Region drivers for some of the journey (particularly to ensure that experienced drivers took the trains through the complex arrangements around Clapham Junction) and would, on reaching Margate and being cleared of passengers, take them onward to Ramsgate Depot where they would be stored until the return trip. On the morning of 14th November 1944, a V2 rocket impacted a site on Sherrard Road, just 80 yards to the south of Well Hall stations main building. The Eltham Well Hall rail crash was an accident on the British railway system that occurred on 11 June 1972 at approximately 21:35. The 20:05 return excursion train crewed by Wilsdon, Stokes and Atterbury consisted of a British Rail Class 47 locomotive, No.1630 from the Midland Region, and ten coaches; a Brake Second Corridor, a Second Corridor, a Composite Corridor, three more Second Corridors, another Composite, a Tourist Standard Open, another Second Corridor and another Brake Second Corridor at the rear. The second incident occurred on 28 March 1969, when Wilsdon was fined 1 for being drunk in Lewisham. The locomotive and first four coaches left the rails and came to rest at an angle to the track, the second and third coaches on their sides. The name "Well Hall" derived from that of a former Tudor mansion, which resided on a site surrounded by a moat, located 160-yards north of the station. He later claimed to a representative from the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen that he would not drink again. 125 passengers were injured. At 19:45 they met with the guard and drove the train to Margate to receive the passengers. Most Wanted At the subsequent public inquiry it was revealed that the driver had been intoxicated by alcohol. The structure sat at milepost 9 from Charing Cross. In the meantime, the Bexleyheath, Dartford Loop, and North Kent Lines were electrified using the SRs favoured 660-Volts DC third rail system. News Stories Exactly where the pair went in this period is unknown owing to Wilsdon's death and Stokes having little recollection of the events after leaving Ramsgate and although another pub was close to the station, it was considered that neither had time to reach it.[2]. Guard Atterbury was not criticised whatsoever for his behaviour and it was considered unfortunate that his "splashes" were too weak to gain Wilsdon's attention. The actor Phil Daniels, star of Quadrophenia, Scum, and later EastEnders was aboard one of the derailed coaches with his parents after a day trip.[1]. These trains would be driven by Southern Region drivers for some of the journey (particularly to ensure that experienced drivers took the trains through the complex arrangements around Clapham Junction) and would, on reaching Margate and being cleared of passengers, take them onward to Ramsgate Depot where they would be stored until the return trip. This accident has been the subject of a published formal accident investigation, which you will find below. As part of British Railways ten-car suburban train scheme, which aimed to boost capacity on South Eastern Division commuter lines, Well Halls platforms were lengthened at their eastern ends in 1955 using prefabricated concrete components. Before he could go ask superiors as to where they were, he saw Stokes and Wilsdon return. The pair had three pints of light and bitter each with Wilsdon possibly drinking another half pint of light ale, according to the evidence of club staff who served him. Ultimately, the later station was intended as a replacement for Well Hall, allowing the SE&CR to close the original site, but legal problems prevented this, as noted in 1973 by Alan A. Jackson in Semi-detached London: Suburban Development, Life and Transport, 1900-39: "The railway company, ever anxious to turn the odd penny, had planned to close [Well Hall] until they discovered they were under a statutory obligation to keep it open and so did not rate their chances of overcoming the opposition very highly.". [1] Although Wilsdon paid the fine, British Rail were not notified of this occurrence until a colleague of Wilsdon's was similarly charged five days later. Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen, Railway accident : Report on the Derailment that occurred on 11 June 1972 at Eltham (Well Hall) Station in the Southern Region, British Railways, Accident at Eltham Well Hall on 11th June 1972. Robertson, concluded that the driver Robert Wilsdon had "grossly impaired his ability to drive safely by drinking a considerable quantity of alcohol both before and after booking on duty, including some shortly before leaving Margate and some more in his cab during the journey."[2]. located in the administrative territorial entity. Shortly thereafter, Wilsdon and Stokes returned and entered the cab preparing for departure, with neither seeming unusual: when Arundell told them to hurry up, Wilsdon calmly noted they could regain lost time on the journey. After arrival at Margate, the train was stabled at Ramsgate. This was a very unusual action, particularly as he had made up almost seven minutes of the lost time. The first and most serious of these moments was the fact that it was uncertain what had occurred with Wilsdon and his brothers between 14:02 and 17:15 with his brothers both declaring that Wilsdon had not drunk after returning from the pub in Rainham. This was a very unusual action, particularly as he had made up almost seven minutes of the lost time. Website & Copyright information - Links - Contact the Webmaster, All content is copyright David Glasspool unless otherwise stated. This caused nine out of 10 carriages to derail, injuring many occupants and killing 6 including the driver. Six lives were lost including the driver, and 126 people were injured. Of these penalties, three were fairly minor isolated offences (unauthorised absence in October 1960, persistent lateness in February 1961 and a "relatively minor driving offence" in February 1963) but two were serious offences, one of which resulted in a temporary suspension. This was agreed as there was no evidence to the contrary and it was believed that Wilsdon was travelling to Ramsgate at this time. The second excursion train, scheduled to leave Margate at 20:05 was to be crewed by Driver Wilsdon, Secondman P.E. Shortly after leaving Rainham, Atterbury noted that the speed seemed "a little bit excessive" and that Wilsdon had been braking intensely between Gillingham and Chatham railway station. [2], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}512719N 00301E / 51.45536N 0.05019E / 51.45536; 0.05019, Events prior to Wilsdon arriving at Ramsgate, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen, "Railway crash driver survived dismissal", "Accident at Eltham Well Hall on 11th June 1972", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eltham_Well_Hall_rail_crash&oldid=1142297435, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 16:48. The design of the cabin at Well Hall was repeated at all those stations which opened with the route in 1895, and examples can be seen on the website's Barnehurst and Bexleyheath pages. Owing to the large number of day-trippers booked for this customary annual works-outing, a pair of excursion trains were laid on to transport them to Margate and back. An Inter-City express ran into a freight train carrying 30,000 gallons of fuel oil, after the . Two bottles of beer given to the crew by the excursion's organisers were found in the cab, but they were unopened. The station comprised a hybrid of structures: a main building from 1931, a waiting shelter from 1895, and a footbridge from about 1907. I am a dreamer who dreams of a world full of Transport Libraries An excursion train from Margate to Kentish Town derailed on a sharp curve at Eltham Well Hall station, Eltham, London. He later commented to Stokes a joking complaint about the driver of the first excursion train, calling him a "slow bastard". Computations later proved that the driver had apparently shut off power where required, but had not made a brake application. Rail; . GitHub export from English Wikipedia. According to them, the three returned home and spent the afternoon indoors with the children until Robert was driven by one of his brothers to Rainham station at around 17:15. Eltham Well Hall train crash; Statements. All witnesses who saw the driver including the guard, the station staff at both Rainham and Margate, and the depot staff at Ramsgate, observed no signs of intoxication. Shortly thereafter, Wilsdon and Stokes returned and entered the cab preparing for departure, with neither seeming unusual: when Arundell told them to hurry up, Wilsdon calmly noted they could regain lost time on the journey. It seems these splashes were too late and light to register in the cab. Stokes was 18 years old and had been working on the railways for almost two years at the time of the accident, having been based at Hither Green this entire time. However when approaching Eltham Park railway station he became concerned at the train's apparent speed and more so as it neared Eltham Well Hall, where a sharp curve changed the train's direction from southwest to northwest. The outbound journeys left Kentish Town around 0830, were completed uneventfully and the trains stabled at Ramsgate as planned. A medical expert stated that during the time given, 5 pints of bitter, a third of a bottle of sherry and a quarter bottle of spirits would "just about achieve" the levels found, providing that "the bulk of the spirits was drunk between 20:15 and 21:30". The Eltham Well Hall rail crash was an accident on the British railway system that occurred on 11 June 1972 at approximately 21:35. A post-mortem examination of Wilsdon showed that he had a blood alcohol level of 0.278% (the legal limit for driving a road vehicle in England at that time was 0.08%). The latter had a twelve-chain radius, curving sharply to the right after Well Hall station for the 1 in 75 descent towards Kidbrooke, and had a permanent speed restriction of 20 MPH. He was thoroughly critical of Wilsdon's behaviour, describing it as "reprehensible" and "disgraceful". mexico train crash 2,325 Train Crash Premium Video Footage Browse 2,325 train crash videos and clips available to use in your projects, or search for money train crash or mexico train crash to find more footage and b-roll video clips. Railman Fleming, who was on duty at the platform and knew Wilsdon well, saw the train arrive and asked Wilsdon if it had broken down (owing to the clear signal visible from the platform), to which Wilsdon merely said "No" and jumped down from his cab before walking to a telephone on the platform to speak with Obee. Stokes was unable to recall much of what occurred at Margate and Wilsdon died, so it was uncertain as to what had occurred during this period, and although a pub was close to the station, it was considered that they did not have enough time to reach it.
One Point Perspective Bird's Eye View,
Lackland Air Force Base Live Cam,
Eagle Rare Bourbon Total Wine,
Articles E